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5 Ways Structural Composites Improve Pump

Efficiency
These engineered machined products can help increase a facilitys
return on investment.
by John A. Kozel

As industry invests tremendous amounts of effort to reduce energy


consumption, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the
Hydraulic Institute (HI) have focused on improving efficiencies of
pumps, motors and pump systems.

One way end users can reduce energy consumptionin some


cases, by 10 percent or moreis the use of highly engineered
structural-composite pumps and impellers.

Upgrading existing pumps with qualified structural-composite


components can reduce energy use and improve return on
investment (ROI) in five key ways.
Image 1. These two impellers ran for two years in seawater. The
structural-composite impeller on the left is like new, and the bronze
impeller on the right shows heavy corrosion. (Images and graphic
courtesy of SIMS Pump Company)
Image 2. Worn and corroded bronze impeller.

1. Composite materials extend pump life


because they are inert, corrosion-resistant and
withstand cavitation better than metallics such
as bronze.
An evaluation of the performance curve of any pump will show a
huge drop in efficiency once a metallic impeller begins to wear,
cavitate and/or corrode.

Even if the starting efficiency of a pump appears sufficient when a


pump is new, tests demonstrate rapid deterioration of efficiency and
performance as a pump continues to operate more inefficiently.
Engineered structural-composite impellers and rings can help prevent
these heavy losses of efficiency and performance. Pump inefficiency
contributes heavily to increasing energy, maintenance and repair
costs.

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In some cases, structural composites can provide five to seven times
the lifespan of metallic pumps and impellers in corrosive applications.

2. Structural composites provide a reduction in


energy costs through pump optimization.
In many cases, a facility purchases a pump for one specific
performance, but once the pump is put into service, system
requirements cause it to operate at another point entirely different
from the pumps original design point.

When a pump operates away from the original design point or best
efficiency point (BEP), problems occur, including higher loading;
excessive noise and vibration of the pump; shaft oscillation;
cavitation; and premature wear and failure of the mechanical seals,
bearings, rings, sleeves and impellers.

In extreme cases, the pump shaft will break right behind the impeller
from the excessive radial forces that occur when a pump operates
away from the original design point.

Operating a pump away from the BEP has a detrimental effect on


efficiency and performance, and it wastes energy and money.
Operating the pump in this way also severely reduces pump life.

Image 3. This structural-


composite double-suction impeller was machined from a solid block
of structural composite on a five-axis machining center using state-of-
the-art design techniques to provide greater efficiency and longevity.

The larger the pump, the more energy is wasted. These problems
can be resolved with structural-composite pumps and/or impellers
and rings that have been engineered for a facilitys system
requirements. This improves the pumps efficiency, reliability and
longevity.

Many industry professionals do not realize the cost and impact of low
efficiency. As an example, a motor powering a pump with a severely
deteriorated impeller could easily lose 50 percent of its original
efficiency.

If the motor was drawing 75 kilowatts (kW) at the original efficiency of


80 percent and now the pump is operating at an efficiency of 40
percent, there would be an approximate loss of half of the original
efficiency, which would equate to $38,880 per year at $0.12 per
kilowatt-hour (kWh) (37.5 kW loss x 8,640 hours x $0.12/kWh =
$38,880 per year).

Even if the pump was operating only 10 percent away from the BEP,
the approximate loss would be $7,776 per year plus additional
maintenance expenses (7.5 kW loss x 8,640 hours x $0.12/kWh =
$7,776).

Structural-composite pumps are designed specifically for the


operating point in the plant, factory or system, making them more
efficient than many traditional pumps.

The operating point in the system becomes the BEP, saving the user
thousands of dollars each year. Because the pumps operate at the
BEP, they have less radial and axial movement, resulting in a longer
lifespan.

Structural-composite pumps and impellers are completely machined


(as opposed to being cast or molded) on the outside as well as the
inside using state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
techniques, which make them even more efficient.

Depending on where the metallic impeller is operating on the pump


curve, some composite pumps and impellers can increase efficiency
by 5 to 15 percent.
Image 4. This pump and impeller for a water park was destroyed by
cavitation and corrosion. The pump and impeller were upgraded to a
structural-composite model, which resolved the issues and
dramatically increased efficiency and performance.

3. Completely machined structural-composite


impellers experience less vibration and lower
radial and axial movement as a result of better
mechanical and hydraulic balance.
Engineered structural-composite impellers are completely machined
from a center position out of a solid block of structural composite on
both the inside and the outside.

As a result, the vanes are all equally spaced and the impellers are
well-balanced and remain well-balanced for the life of the pump,
leading to increased longevity and enhanced performance as a result
of less vibration.
A very similar type of technology has been employed for propeller
design and manufacture. Propellers that are machined on five-axis
machining centers not only produce less vibration, but they also pay
for themselves in fuel savings.

4. Composite impellers are lightweight and


reduce shaft deflection.
Structural-composite impellers and casing rings are only 15 percent
the weight of traditional metallic materials. The lower weight reduces
startup load and shaft deflection, which allows the rotating element to
run with tighter clearances between the rings and the impeller.

The tighter ring clearance reduces leakage, and the reduction in shaft
deflection enables bearings, sleeves, mechanical seals and rings to
last much longer, which saves on repair and maintenance costs.

5. Composite impellers and casing rings reduce


leakage and prevent pump wash-out.
Because of the excellent lubrication qualities of many structural-
composite materials and because of the low coefficient of friction, the
ring clearances in operation are less than metallic rings and allow
less leakage between the impeller casing rings and the impeller wear
ring.

The smoother surfaces and less leakage between the casing rings
and impeller wear ring result in a 2 to 3 percent increase in efficiency.
Additionally, the structural-composite rings seal against the pump
casing similar to a gasket, preventing the fluid from wearing or
corroding the landing areas under the casing rings.

Estimated Operational Savings


Because of the many benefits listed above, structural-composite
impellers and casing rings can outlast metallic impellers and ring
sets, especially in corrosive environments.

Table 1 demonstrates the estimated operational savings that


structural-composite materials can provide.
Table 1. Estimated operational savings provided by composite
materials
About the Author
John A. Kozel is president and CEO of SIMS Pump Company. He
may be reached at 201-792-0600 or at simsite1@aol.com. For more
information, visit simsite.com.

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